NEWS:

7 Mar, 2016


GCFIS Visiting Team Pose for a Group Photo with the Vice Chancellor and LUANARS Administrations and Academic Staff
Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) and Michigan State University’s Global Center for Food Systems Innovations (GCFSI) are working together to advance LUANAR’s capacity building as outlined in LUANAR’s Strategic Plan through the Innovation Hub programme.

The Innovation Hub functions as a key center where LUANAR academic personnel work as interdisciplinary teams to solve relevant food system problems that are prevalent in Malawi.

According to Dr. Sera Gondwe, a lecturer at LUANAR and ISP programmes lead, The LUANAR Innovation Scholars Program (ISP), is one of the key activities to be carried out by the Innovation Hub at LUANAR “In December 2015, GCFSI and LUANAR held week-long meetings to jointly define the goals, structure, and outcomes for the LUANAR Innovation Scholars.The working groups provided input on the concept of innovation and the structure of the innovations scholars’ year, processes for selecting fellows, contours and content of individual sessions, incentives for participation, outcomes and indicators, sustainability within the life and structure of LUANAR, and personnel to be trained to implement the program.” Said Dr.S.Gondwe.

The GCFSI team comprising of professor Erick Crawford (GCFIS Director), Kurt Richter (Assistant Director), John Bonnell (Capacity Development and Outreach Specialist) and David Poulson (Senior Associate Director of Center of Environmental Journalism) visited LUANAR from 22nd to the 26th February 2016, with an aim of putting together a detailed programme document to guide implementation of the ISP.

A series of meetings looking at administrative, designing and communication issues were conducted with various groups of academic staff and other key stakeholders. These meetings helped in gathering pertinent information used in drafting of the programme document.

Speaking on the progress of the programme, Professor Crawford spoke very highly of the work both teams have been able to achieve in a short time. "We have been able to draft the ISP work plan for 2016/2017. We have prepared materials for promoting the program and draft application and selection prerequisites for interested individuals." said Professor Crawford.

He further justified the importance of the programme, stating that through the programme innovative solutions to the global food system will be identified. Innovation is a key aspect of GCFIS that is why this programme is being promoted.

“LUANARS strategic plan is to develop innovative programmes in research and outreach, this programmes aims to identify faculty member who can join this effort and create innovative programmes and give students relevant skills so that they can be more competitive in the job market and produce innovative and relevant research that will solve challenges within the food system.” Said Professor Crawford.

John Bonnell added that the programme seeks to promote innovative thinking among the scholars which will work together with students from LUANAR. “Innovations that work for one country may not work for another and that is why we do not bring innovations from elsewhere and implement them in a specific environment. It is our wish that scholars and student are creative in coming up with innovative programmes that will benefit Malawi”.

MSU’s, David Poulson, echoed that communication is crucial to the programme so much so that workshops on agricultural journalism will be held at the university as part of the programme. Journalists will be trained in some agricultural issues and the scholars will learn how they can communicate their work. "The aim is for the journalists to get smarter about agriculture and for the researchers to master how to communicate their work as researchers and scientists spend so much time doing wonderful work which most often is not communicated well to the public. Communicating such important scientific outcomes especially to decision makers is very important.” said Poulson. “With this programme we want to ensure that any innovative solutions are communicated to relevant decision makers and the general public.” he added.

Touching on the future perspective on the relationship between LUANAR and MSU, Kurt Richter said that the two institutions have common goals and that there still are a lot of programmes that MSU would like to work with LUANAR.This is because LUANAR has proved to be an effective partner.

The programme is expected to launch in June 2016 and only full time LUANAR faculty members, Deans,Center Directors and Departmental Chairs are eligible to apply.

Written by Christie Kang'ombe